8 
BLACKS — DESERT TRAVELLING. 
there are a number of free blacks from Tunis, some 
married, others not, who are to return to their homes 
in Soudan, Bornou, and Mandara, under our pro- 
tection. Some of these have agreed to travel partly 
on their own account, or nearly so, whilst others will 
be paid and act as servants. One of them, named 
Aii, is a fine dashing young fellow. They are very 
unimportant people here, but as we advance on our 
route will no doubt prove of some service, especially 
when we fairly enter upon the Black Countries. A 
marabout of Fezzan also accompanies us, and our 
camel-drivers are from the same country. They 
arrived with a caravan from Mourzuk, and we were 
some time detained by the necessity of allowing them 
and their beasts to rest before recommencing their 
march over the very arduous country that lies be- 
tween this and the confines of Fezzan. 
Our progress will necessarily be slow, as all tra- 
velling is in the desert. Camels can rarely exceed 
three miles an hour, and often make but two. We 
may calculate their average progress at two miles 
and a half, so that the reader will be pleased to 
bear in mind, that when I speak of a laborious day 
of twelve hours, he must not imagine us to have 
advanced more than thirty miles. 
Before commencing the narrative of my journey, 
it may be as well to introduce a few observations on 
the commerce at present carried on with the interior 
by way of Tripoli. In addition to the mere acqui- 
sition of geographical, statistical, and other infor- 
